


The Proposal

by Pooky1234



Series: LongliveIanto series [2]
Category: Being Human, Torchwood
Genre: Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-25
Updated: 2011-04-25
Packaged: 2017-10-18 15:55:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/190552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pooky1234/pseuds/Pooky1234
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Second in the linked stories for longliveIanto</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Proposal

**Author's Note:**

> Ianto meets an old friend of Jacks and discovers more about being immortal.

The Proposal

'Ianto, we've had some strange reports coming from this address in Barry. Can you check it out for me? Don't get involved, just have a look at who's coming and going will you?' Jack handed Ianto the address.

'I'll go now. There've been rumours of organised fights happening again. I thought our local vampire collective had agreed to stop that activity.'

'They did but perhaps there's someone new on the scene who isn't aware of the deal. Just check it out and let me know. Don't get involved though.'

'I know; call you as you've had dealings with them before.'

'I have,' Jack confirmed, 'more than once.' Ianto leaned over the desk and kissed his boss. 'I'll see you later. Be good!'

Ianto used his car; it was less conspicuous than an SUV with Torchwood written down the side of it. He took the low road to Barry, eventually finding the address just off the main area of Barry Island. It looked like an old storage area for the docks and looked pretty abandoned. He sat reading the paper, a luxury he didn't get very often. After an hour he was getting bored. He turned on the radio but got bored of that too. It was then that he noticed the figure standing outside the address. The man was dressed from head to toe in black. He was tall and lanky. Black jeans encased his thin legs and he wore a black leather jacket over a black vest. His hair, also black, was worn long and looked as if it needed a wash. His face needed a shave but there was something raw about that look, something primal. That the man was a vampire was obvious, as Ianto moved the wing mirror and it showed nothing. After glancing both ways the man entered the building.

Ianto was unsure what to do now so he waited to see if anyone else went in or if the man came out, but in the next 30 minutes nothing happened. He knew he should just report in but curiosity got the better of him. The man had looked haunted as well as lonely. Ianto had to admit to being slightly intrigued as he'd never met a real vampire and, like Jack, this man was immortal. If the vampire knew he was Torchwood he'd back off surely as they knew about Jack and how useful he could be if they kept to themselves.

He got out of the car and pushed open the door to the building. He edged his way down the corridor and opened another door onto a large open space. The man in black sat with his back to the door. Without turning he spoke.

'I wondered if you'd find me, George. He's dead; I killed him. I finally killed Herrick once and for all. I need to talk to you.' He turned finally, his eyes widened when he saw that it wasn't who he expected. Ianto had his gun out and was pointing it. The man laughed, a laugh filled with irony not humour.

'That won't do you any good,' he said.

'I know,' Ianto replied. 'I do have this as well.' He took out the stake that Jack had insisted he take with him.

'Yeah, but you've got to get near enough to use that. Who are you and what are you doing here? You're not a vampire or a werewolf; you're human still, aren't you?'

'My name is Ianto Jones. I work for Torchwood. I was sent because there was talk of fights being resumed. Perhaps you know something about that.'

'Ah, Torchwood. Is Jack still working for them?'

'Yes,' Ianto replied cautiously. 'He sent me to check the place out.'

'Shame he didn't join you; it's been a while since he and I …..' He saw Ianto's face cloud over. 'Ah, I see he's more than just your boss. Well, the Captain has always been hard to resist. So you and he been together long?'

'A couple of years,' Ianto replied.

'Wow, that's a long time for Jack; you must be special. So how are you coping knowing that he'll never grow old? Being in love with an immortal like Jack can be complicated, especially when you work for Torchwood and face death every day. Jack doesn't usually let people get under his skin because they'll die before him.'

'We've been through all that and come to terms with it. We both know what could happen but it's worth it to be together. I love him. Anyway, I don't remember you telling me your name.'

'It's Mitchell, John Mitchell but people just call me by my surname. And you needn't worry about the fights anymore. I've dealt with that.'

'Who's George? You seem to be expecting him,' Ianto asked taking a seat next to Mitchell. It was strange but he knew the man posed no threat to him.

'George is my friend, my best friend, which is odd considering he's a werewolf. I expected him to come to kill me so now I'm going to have to find him. It's time, Ianto. For everyone there should be a time to die, even Jack Harkness. I want George to kill me; I need George to do it. It has to be someone who loves me enough and George is really the only one.'

'Are you and he together?' Ianto asked.

'No, not like that. He's got a girlfriend, Nina and they're going to be parents. George has always accepted me for what I am and forgiven me so much. I do love Annie, she's a ghost by the way, but she'd never have the strength to kill me; George will. I'm a monster, Ianto. You know the Box Tunnel massacre, well that was me. I deserve to die; I've done so many terrible things over the last 100 years. But what about you? I could help you, Ianto Jones.' Mitchell sat for a moment just staring. Ianto had no idea how to respond to his confession. He also knew that there was no point informing the police.

'I have a proposal for you. If you love Captain Harkness I can give you a way to be with him always; I can make you immortal. You'll always be as you are now, which I have to say is very handsome. Imagine you and Jack could be together forever.'

'I assume you're offering to make me a vampire,' Ianto said matter of factly.

'That would be the general idea,' Mitchell replied.

'But I'd have to drink blood and kill people,' Ianto added. 'There are prices too high to pay.'

'Ah, but that's the beauty of being involved with Jack Harkness. You could feed from him and his body will always recover. You'd need just enough to get by and ease your cravings. I know it can be done. Jack helped me once when I was trying to go straight.'

'So you and he were involved?' Ianto asked.

'It was fifty years ago Ianto, so don't worry and I didn't love him and he didn't love me. We didn't need each other enough for the arrangement to work. I didn't have enough self-control; I would imagine that you do, Ianto. You look very buttoned up. So what do you think of my proposal? The offer is on the table for 15 minutes. Think about it.' He got up. 'I just need to collect a few things but I'll be back.'

Ianto sat. He looked around the room. He could see the bloodstains on the floor of the cage. He knew why they were there. He looked at the veins in his wrist. Could he spend the rest of his life as a vampire? What would Jack think? Would Jack really want to spend all of time with him? Would Jack be enough or would he find himself sneaking out to kill because just sucking on Jack wasn't enough and he could imagine where Jack would want him to suck! He found himself chuckling for a moment. 'Although I think he wouldn't want me to bite him there,' Ianto said to himself. Did he want to be with Jack? Did he want to live forever? He knew that it tore Jack apart to watch those he loved die. Of course, there was also the question did Ianto want to spend forever totally dependant on Jack? In the end the decision was simple.

When the vampire returned Ianto explained what he wanted. He watched the vampire leave a while later and wondered if he'd made the right decision. He hoped that Mitchell would find the release he needed and that his friend, George was brave enough to do what he asked of him.

He arrived back at the Hub by mid afternoon. Gwen was at her station. He could hear her on the phone to Rhys saying that she wouldn't be long as the Rift predictor wasn't showing anything. Ianto went straight down to the archives rather than up to Jack's office. He knew that Jack would be aware of his return and where he'd gone.

He sat mulling over his decision for sometime just staring into space. He wondered if he'd done the right thing and whether Jack would understand why he'd done it. He loved Jack so much and he never wanted to have to leave him. He looked up to see his partner stood in the doorway. Usually he'd be smiling but his face was full of concern.

'I've been watching you off in your own little world. What happened? Usually you'd report to me straight away but today you didn't.'

'I needed to think, Jack. I met an old friend of yours today.'

'Friend?' Jack questioned.

'Well, more than a friend according to him but he said it had been some time since you'd been together, over 50 years in fact.'

'Ah,' Jack said.

'His name was Mitchell. He told me that we don't need to worry about the fighting because he'd sorted it. He's a good looking bloke, if a bit unkempt, but then again you always did have good taste, Jack.'

Now Jack did smile. 'Ianto, you can't be jealous of a man I slept with twice 50 years ago. How is he anyway?'

'Not good; he wants to die, Jack. He's hoping his friend loves him enough to kill him. He was going there when I left him. You'd know how that feels eh, Jack!'

'Yeah, you know I do; poor Mitchell. He was always trying to go straight but never quite succeeded.'

'Yeah, he said that. He also said he was responsible for the Box Tunnel massacre. Somehow I knew that there was no point in trying to bring him in.' Ianto fingered his neck. 'He also made me a proposal.' Jack's eyes opened wide.

'He offered to make me immortal, Jack so that I could share eternity with you. Of course, I'd be a vampire but he said that you'd be able to help with that.'

Jack released the breath he'd been holding. He really didn't want to ask the next question but he did. 'What did you do?' he asked hesitantly.

Ianto pulled down his tie and opened his collar. There were two small puncture marks on his neck.

'No, please tell me you didn't, please, Ianto. You don't know what its like to live forever and watch people die around you!' Jack stood still looking down at the man he loved beyond all reason. Was Ianto trying to prove how much he loved him? Jack already knew that.

Ianto got up and positioned himself between Jack and his desk, leaning back on it, he took Jack's hands.

'Jack, it's alright, I stopped him; I changed my mind. I love you so much but I couldn't contemplate having you stay with me because I needed to feed from you.'

'That would never be the reason I stayed,' Jack said. 'I've seen what it's like for vampires. I wouldn't have been enough, Ianto. Mitchell is one of the most decent blokes I know but he's obviously still a killer. I'd never want that for you even if it meant we could be together forever.'

Ianto put his hands on either side of Jack's face and kissed him. The kiss deepened as tongues probed. Ianto sucked at Jack's bottom lip and then moved to kiss across his jaw and down to his neck. He thought he felt Jack flinch as he sucked intent on leaving a mark of his own there. He stood back up to face Jack.

'Some time Ianto, you're going to die. I thought I'd lost you after the 456 but I didn't. Life is so fleeting.'

'We'd better make the most of it then and as Rhys isn't around with his beans, perhaps now?'

Now Jack did smile. 'Come with me,' he said. 'The bedroom down here is nearer.'

Sometime later two men were joined together, relishing being alive and the happiness they felt, one buried deep within the other, totally at peace with their world.

A few miles away a man in black looked on as he felt his best friend stab him through the heart. Finally, he too was at peace.

People live and people die; not everyone could face forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Next story is There are none so blind as those who do not see


End file.
